FEELINGS comprises the artistic works, performative research, games, and feelings that Jil Dreyer and Josef Mehling have been developing with and for each other since 2017. We get excited by experimenting with different media and approaches - often in connection with the personal and biographical. Depending on the topic and context, we develop performances, online pieces, interactive games or texts. We attempt to question classical theatre settings and create formats for a transparent relationship between audience and performers. We frequently foreground investigations of corporealities, identity and situatedness in our projects. We are also interested in the possibilities, challenges and questions that arise from collective work. For our own pieces, we equally share the tasks of conception, direction, design, and performance. We also always enjoy coming together with other artists for collaborative group projects. We met in 2017, when we both began the master’s program at the Institute for Applied Theatre Studies in Giessen. Since then, we have presented works at Gessnerallee Zurich, Staatstheater Mainz, and Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, among others. As of 2019, we have also been teaching theatre and performance together as feelings.mem at various institutions in and around Berlin.
JIL DREYER (they/she) is a German performance artist and theatre educator. Jil studied theater and political science at FU Berlin and graduated in 2021 with a Master's degree in Applied Theatre Studies from JLU in Giessen. They are particularly interested in topics around intimacy, solidarity and intersectional queer feminism, which they see as equally important for their political as well as artistic and teaching work. In 2011, they began directing various children's and youth theater groups for Schauspiel Hannover, Hans-Otto-Theater Potsdam, and at the Ricarda Huch School in Giessen, among others. In June 2018, in a residency together with the collective Scene:Bluss, they created the 10-hour performance Hellmouth Edition for the Porsgrunn International Theater Festival. Since 2017, they have been developing on- and offline performances and games with Josef Mehling as FEELINGS. Here they conceive, write, perform, speak, dance, and design together with Josef. As part of Queer Week at Maxim Gorki Theater Jil performed their Instagram performance strings attached. mini_archive of queer futures in June 2021. Jil lives in Berlin.
JOSEF MEHLING (no pronouns) is a German/US-American performance artist and theatre educator. Jo grew up in California and thought for a long time that he wanted to be an actor. In 2012, Jo received his B.A. in theatre from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Jo's education there also included training at the Moscow Art Theatre and the Bread & Puppet Theatre in Vermont. In 2021 Jo completed the master’s program in applied theatre studies at Justus Liebig University Giessen. In 2015, Jo wrote/performed the solo piece This is Torture for English Theatre Berlin's Expat Expo. In 2016, Jo worked on and performed in Spielraum Kollektiv's performance Relax Now!, which premiered at Archa Theatre in Prague and was performed at the Festival Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo in León, Mexico, and elsewhere. In 2017, Jo worked as a dramaturg and dancer for the multimedia production Licht at Ackerstadt Palast in Berlin. Jo has taught theater courses and workshops at various schools and institutions both in the US and in Germany. Since 2017, Jo has been developing on- and offline performances and games with Jil Dreyer as FEELINGS. Here Jo conceives, writes, performs, speaks, dances, and designs together with Jil. Jo lives in Berlin.